1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Then the Lord of that servant was 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt. 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Matthew eighteen twenty seven. Dear Heavenly Father, to day, I 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: acknowledge that one of the most powerful things I can 5 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 1: do for myself is to forgive others when wrongs are 6 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: done against me. I also acknowledge that the longer I 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: harbor unforgiveness and resentment, the longer I rob myself of 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: experiencing your freedom and your forgiveness when I mess up 9 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: in life. Therefore, my life will be one of mercy 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: and grace. Because I have been forgiven much, I now 11 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: know I can forgive much. I decree and declare that 12 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: as much as it remains with me, I will live 13 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: at peace with all people. I will realize that life 14 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: life is too short for me to afford the enemy 15 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: the luxury of keeping me stuck in past hurts. This 16 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: is the time, and this is the moment, that I 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: break free from unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment. I declare that 18 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: Satan has no hold over my life and over my peace. 19 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: I declare that Satan has no hold over my joy 20 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: and over my peace. I am free to love and 21 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: I'm free to forgive, like the Merciful Master in Matthew 22 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: eighteen and Luke ten in Jesus name. Amen, thank you 23 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: for making prayer a priority in your day. To learn 24 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: more about the Bible, stay tuned for today's story, brought 25 00:01:50,240 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: to you by Bible in a Year dot com. 26 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 2: The Merciful Master and our last story. Jesus spoke of 27 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: generosity through the story of a gluttonous rich man and 28 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: a poor beggar. The rich man gorged on his wealth 29 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,119 Speaker 2: with no attention to the sick and cold beggar right 30 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: at his door. As a result, the rich man suffered 31 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: when he died, but the poor man was restored. In 32 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: this story, Jesus teaches another valuable lesson on forgiveness through 33 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 2: the intense story of a servant and his master, as 34 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: inspired by the Gospels. 35 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 3: We're so glad you've joined us on the Bible Any 36 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 3: of Your podcast today. The Bible any of Your Podcast 37 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come 38 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners just 39 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 3: like you. Your support today is so important that we 40 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 3: want to thank you for your gift by giving you 41 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 3: a copy of my book called the Jesus Book. It 42 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 3: is a powerful guide that shows how every book of 43 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 3: the Bible points to Jesus and how his living word, 44 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 3: the truth of God's Word, will transform your life. So 45 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 3: to get a copy of the Jesus Book, simply go 46 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,959 Speaker 3: to Jack Graham dot org slash Jesus. That's Jack Graham 47 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 3: dot org slash Jesus, and thank you for your support. 48 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 3: In our last episode, we heard about Lazarus and the 49 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 3: rich Man and how their earthly and eternal lives were 50 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: vastly different. It was a picture of the complete restoration 51 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 3: that awaits all who trust and follow Jesus, and the 52 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: eternal separation and suffering for those who reject him. Today 53 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 3: we'll hear another parable, this time about a master who 54 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 3: forgives a large debt, only to discover that his debtor 55 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 3: failed to extend the same mercy to another. It's an 56 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 3: important lesson about the forgiveness that we've been given and 57 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 3: the forgiveness that we must give to others. So let's 58 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 3: listen now to the reading of God's Word. 59 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 2: It was midday and Peter was walking signly behind Jesus 60 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: along with the other disciples. The dust drug underneath his feet, 61 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: and sweat dripped down his furrowed brow. Jesus knew what 62 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: Peter was thinking, as many people do. Peter was thinking 63 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: of past wrongs done to him friends, family, and tax collectors. 64 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: Peter's memory was filled with people who had done him 65 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: a great deal of harm. To make matters worse, he 66 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 2: continually endured the backbiting in spite of the Pharisees because 67 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: he followed Jesus. The mental stress was weighing on him. 68 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: Good thing for Peter, he was not one to keep 69 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 2: his emotions bottled up. Out of the silence, Peter spoke 70 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: to Jesus, asking how often should I forgive a brother 71 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: who sins against me? Seven times less more. Jesus smiled 72 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 2: at Peter's question. It was a good inquiry. However, he 73 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,119 Speaker 2: was mistaken that there was supposed to be a limit. 74 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 2: Seventy seven times, Peter, as many as it takes for 75 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 2: your heart to learn what forgiveness, Jesus replied. Jesus pulled 76 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: in his disciples closer to him. They walked along the countryside. 77 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: The rolling green hills sprouted with lilies tossed in the wind. 78 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: As they walked, Jesus told them another story. The Kingdom 79 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: of Heaven is like a king who wished to settle 80 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: his account with his servant. He borrowed money from him, 81 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 2: and now it was time to pay. This servant owed 82 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 2: him ten thousand talents, a very large sum of money. However, 83 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: the servant was unable to pay his debts. Because of this, 84 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 2: he was sentenced to be sold into slavery along with 85 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: his wife and children. The thought of him and his 86 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 2: family being sold off into the dark unknown broke him. 87 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: He knelt before his master and cried aloud to him. 88 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: He begged him to spare his life. He fell on 89 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 2: his knees, saying, please, have patience with me, show mercy. 90 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 2: The master was a good man and decided to forgive 91 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: his debt, so the servant left with joy. Later that day, 92 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 2: the same servant went out into the market place. There 93 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 2: was a man there that owed him a hundred deny. 94 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: Seeing him, the servant burst through the crowd and tackled 95 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: him to the floor. The two of them tumbled in 96 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: the dirt, and the servant pinned him down. Pay me 97 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 2: what you owe, the servant yelled as he slammed the 98 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: man's head into the floor. The man begged for mercy, 99 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: but the servant offered none of it. He refused to 100 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: forgive him and instead had him thrown into prison. One 101 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 2: of the other servants saw what had taken place and 102 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 2: brought the news back to his master. That evening, the 103 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 2: servant was called into the master's home. Rage boiled deep 104 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: in his belly. The master pinned the servant to the ground. 105 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 2: You wicked man, I forgave you of your debt, and 106 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 2: now I hear you could not show mercy to your brother. 107 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 2: The master threw him against the wall and called for 108 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: the jailers, so the servant was taken away until he 109 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,479 Speaker 2: could pay his debt. Jesus finished his story and the 110 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 2: disciples had stopped walking to consider the meaning. Jesus looked 111 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 2: at Peter and said, whoever is forgiven much, must also 112 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 2: forgive Your heavenly Father will do to you what you 113 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 2: do to others. 114 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 3: Today's scripture begins with Jesus continuing to teach in parables. 115 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: Parables have been described as short stories with a long meaning. 116 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 3: Jesus is teaching the true nature of the Kingdom of God, 117 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 3: who God is, what he is like, and how we 118 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 3: can know him. Peter begins with a question seeking to 119 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 3: understand the requirement for forgiveness of others. But now the 120 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: disciples would have known that forgiving others was really not 121 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 3: a question to be asked. We are all to forgive. 122 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 3: Jesus taught this in the model prayer. In teaching them 123 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: to pray, Jesus had instructed them to ask God to 124 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 3: forgive their debts, just as they forgave their debtors. So 125 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 3: Peter was simply trying to deter san how much was 126 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 3: expected of him, and in his mind, seven times was 127 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 3: a pretty good number to forgive someone else. But Jesus's 128 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: reply makes it clear that the bar is much higher, 129 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 3: not seven times, but seventy times seven. Jesus said. To 130 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 3: drive home the point, Jesus tells them that God's kingdom 131 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 3: can be compared to a king who was owed different 132 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 3: amounts by his servants. One servant was called before him 133 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 3: to settle his debt, but there was a problem. The 134 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 3: man had absolutely no chance or ability to repay the debt. 135 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 3: It was impossible. His fate was now in the king's hands, 136 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 3: so the king ordered him sold along with his wife 137 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 3: and children, to pay the debt. He was no longer 138 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 3: a free man. His life was basically now over as 139 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 3: he had known it. So in desperation he fell on 140 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 3: his knees and pleaded for mercy. He asked to be 141 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 3: allowed to work and pay off his debt. We need 142 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 3: to remember that this was an impossible feat, and yet 143 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 3: the king granted his release. Not only that he canceled 144 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 3: the man's debt, Jesus said he was now free and forgiven. 145 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 3: The parallel with this in our own lives is obvious, 146 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 3: isn't it. You would think that a man like this, 147 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 3: having received such grace and mercy, would be quick to 148 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 3: forgive others, to give grace to others. Instead, when he 149 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 3: ran into a man who owed him a small amount 150 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 3: of money, he ordered him to pay it and pay 151 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 3: it immediately. But just as he had been, this man 152 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: couldn't pay up, and like the servant had done, this 153 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 3: man pleaded for time and mercy, but the servant would 154 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: hear nothing of it. He refused to even let the 155 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 3: man go free and work off what he had owed. Instead, 156 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: he ordered him thrown into prison until he could pay 157 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 3: off his debt. This unforgiveness did not go unnoticed, and 158 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 3: soon word got back to the king, knowing just how 159 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 3: much grace he had offered this man, his former servant. 160 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 3: He was enraged, so he had the man brought before 161 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: him and rebuked him for his lack of mercy. In 162 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: Matthew eighteen thirty three, we read these words, and should 163 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 3: not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as 164 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 3: I had mercy on you. So the man was then 165 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 3: bound in prison shackles, made to work to repay his debt. 166 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 3: Jesus then looked at Peter and the others, making sure 167 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 3: they understood the meaning of the story, saying, this is 168 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 3: how God will treat you if you're unwilling to forgive others. 169 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 3: We have been forgiven infinitely more than we could ever 170 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 3: hope to repay, and infinitely more than anyone could ever 171 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 3: owe us. And God's desire is for us to forgive 172 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 3: freely in the same way. Because forgiven people forgive people. 173 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean we allow people to abuse us or 174 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 3: walk over us again it again. But when someone honestly 175 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 3: asked for forgiveness and is willing to repent, we should 176 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 3: consider how gracious God is and how merciful he is 177 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 3: toward us, and show his mercy to others. We who 178 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: have been forgiven so much should freely forgive others. In 179 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 3: Jesus's name. Dear Jesus, we thank you for the forgiveness 180 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 3: of our sins. Though we owe a debt we could 181 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 3: never pay. You died for us on the cross to 182 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 3: pay a debt that you did not owe, so that 183 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 3: we could have eternal life. Thank you for your love, 184 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 3: your grace, your mercy, the forgiveness and the freedom that 185 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 3: we have in you. And may we tell this good 186 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 3: news to everyone that we can until you come again 187 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 3: in Jesus' name. Amen, Thank you for listening to today's 188 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 3: Bible into your podcast, And before we go, I wanted 189 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 3: to let you know that the Bible into Your Podcast 190 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come 191 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners like you. 192 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 3: Your support today is so important that we want to 193 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 3: thank you for your gift by giving you a copy 194 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 3: of my book called The Jesus Book. This book is 195 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 3: that's a powerful guide that shows how every book of 196 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 3: the Bible points to Christ and how you can better 197 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 3: read and understand the Bible and how God's Word transforms 198 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 3: our lives. So to get your copy of The Jesus Book, 199 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 3: simply go to jaggraham dot org slash Jesus. That's jaggraham 200 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 3: dot org slash Jesus, and thank you for your support.